British runner Josh Kerr has broken the men's mile world record, running a 3:42.66 at the London Diamond League on Saturday. The performance shattered the previous record of 3:43.13, set by Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999, a mark that had stood for 27 years.
Kerr, 28, celebrated his historic achievement with a lap around the London Stadium, which erupted with the crowd's cheers. Video shared by the Diamond League captured the moment Kerr raised his arms in triumph after crossing the finish line.
The Olympic Games' official X account acknowledged the feat, stating, "History made. Great Britain's Josh Kerr roars to a world record in the men's mile, snapping a 27-year record in 3:42.66 at the London Diamond League."
In the race, Kerr finished more than three seconds ahead of American Yared Nuguse, who finished second in 3:45.69. Jake Heyward of Britain took third place with a personal best of 3:46.73.
Kerr had identified the London Diamond League mile as a key goal for his season, which does not include the Olympics or World Championships. He told BBC Sport that the stadium's atmosphere contributed to his performance, describing the final stretch as a moment where "It was just me, my shoes and the track."
"I didn't take my foot off the gas," Kerr said. "But... I started to glide and I was like, 'Oh wow, this feels incredible.' It's incredible because I'm slowing down. So, I was like, 'I better get to the line.' So, crossing the finish line, seeing 42-something, anything, was my goal, so it was great."
He also reflected on the self-imposed pressure after publicly declaring his intention to chase the record months earlier. "It's very overwhelming with the amount of hype [I created]," he told BBC Sport. "It's silly to call [the attempt] that early because there's a lot of things which can go wrong, but I am surrounded by amazing people and was able to stay consistent and put the work in."
Kerr expressed hope that this performance would solidify his legacy in British athletics. "If I am to leave my mark on this sport as a British legend, following in the footsteps of the legends behind me, I have to put in those performances," he told BBC Sport. "Those performances take every single part of you, every single part of your team. The amount of work behind the scenes is incredible. Today it was a performance I was able to bring out — I just hoped it would be a little bit faster!"
Before his professional career, Kerr was a standout athlete at the University of New Mexico, where he won three NCAA titles and set the collegiate record in the 1,500 meters. His previous personal best in the mile was 3:45.34.